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Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock believes his side appeared every inch a Premiership team following their biggest win of the season – a 3-0 victory over West Ham.

Goals from Michael Tonge, captain Phil Jagielka and Jon Stead claimed three points which hauled the Blades out of the bottom three, although they are still six points from the fabled 40-point mark.

“From our point of view we knew it was an important game,” said Warnock. “I don’t think there was anything significant in the result other than we showed we are still very much in it after people had written us off over the last few weeks. I thought we looked a Premiership side out there.”

He added: “I think the media have presumed both West Ham and Charlton would finish above us.

“But we have brought other teams into it now, which we wanted to do, and I don’t think anybody can say who is safe and who is not.

“But we have given ourselves a fighting chance because of the way we have played. From start to finish we were good.

“We won as a team, with the strikers defending from the front, and with Paddy Kenny making a great save at 1-0. We thoroughly deserved it.”

Hammers boss Alan Curbishley cannot say the same thing as they are now staring relegation firmly in the face again. With games to come against Chelsea, Everton, Bolton and Manchester United, the situation is looking bleak for Curbishley and his players.

Attempting to put a positive spin on the situation, he said: “For the last couple of weeks we have known that we need to win most of our games – that hasn’t changed.

“For the last couple of weeks we have been looking at other people’s results – and that won’t change. We have to go into the games trying to win them, and to give it our best shot. Things could change dramatically by the end of next Saturday.”